David Gyasi - Film

 

  (C) 2014 by Rych McCain, All Rights Reserved. No part of this column may be reprinted, re-posted or duplicated without written permission from Rych McCain Media/Syndication. Violation is subject to applicable laws.

David Gyasi - Film

By Rych McCain International/Nationally Syndicated Entertainment Columnist

 www.twitter.com/rychmccain and Facebook (Like Me)

David Gyasi

Interstellar’s Astrophysicist

    

David Gyasi as Dr. Romilly

The new movie “Interstellar” explores the idea of Earth running out of resources to support human life and man must find a new place to go in the universe. Of course the crew selected to go on this fact finding mission in space are of the brightest and the best. Actor David Gyasi is the Black astrophysicist on the crew who breaks down all of the scientific data and problems that occur on board. Gyasi is a native of Hammersmith, London, England where he was trained and began his career in British theater, TV and film. He is part of the increasing number of Black Brits to be seen on American cinema and TV.

    

One of the main concepts of the film was based on the late Dr. Albert Einstein’s theory of relativity where in space one can travel great distances and return to earth the same age while those left behind on earth have significantly aged or even died. In other words an astronaut could be 30 years-old when he leaves  and come back five years later and be only 35 while everybody he left on earth that was his same age is 50 years older or more. This is due to the time-space frame of a moving body appearing to slow down and contract (in the direction of motion) when measured in the frame of the observer. Of course, you all reading this interview learned that in high school science or math didn’t you?

   Was Gyasi into Einstein’s theory or any of the scientific stuff before getting into the role?  He laughs, “It wasn’t something that I thought about everyday but it was something that I had to consider obviously for the part and accept that it was possible. Chris (the director) was telling me about an experiment  they did where they placed two identical watches; one at the top of a high-rise and one at the bottom. And when they brought the two watches together after some time they were out of sync and that is part of the relativity theory that at that altitude something else is happening than on the bottom.” He also compared gaining a day and losing a day flying between the time zones of London and the U.S. as part of the same ideal.

L-R: Matthew McConaughey (Cooper), Anne Hathaway (Brand) and David Gyasi (Dr. Romilly)

     When playing a regular role there may be room for ad-lib but in a scientific role like the one he plays as Dr. Romilly, he has to say specific things with a certain discipline. Did this alter the way he approached the role? Gyasi explains, “It doesn’t differ because of actually Romilly‘s make-up, that’s his passion. For some people it’s their family and some people it’s their car or money. That’s his passion so I’ll always try to tap into what makes this character live and breathe and experience life. What level does he do that on and then tap into that. Even when you look into the dense dialogue you have to sort of correct yourself and say actually this is how the guy experiences life and sees the world and he does that with extreme passion. So find his passion and go for that.

     This is obviously a big budget film and the sets were breath takingly realistic. Does the ambiance of a realistic set fire an actor up? Gyasi responds, “It forces you to bring 100% at the time because you say the props guy did it, the sound guy is doing it, the visual effect guys are doing it, the other actors and the director are doing it and you don’t want to be the one who drops the ball. And it is nice if you are someone who aims and attempts to work like that in everything that you do. That’s how I was brought up to approach life and approach work in that way.”

© 2014 Rych McCain Media/Syndication TM 

(You DID Hear It From Me!) 

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Sun - Music

 

  (C) 2014 by Rych McCain, All Rights Reserved. No part of this column may be reprinted, re-posted or duplicated without written permission from Rych McCain Media/Syndication. Violation is subject to applicable laws.

 

Sun - Music

By Rych McCain Internationally/Nationally Syndicated Entertainment Columnist

By Rych McCain, www.twitter.com/rychmccain and Facebook (Like Me)

Meet SUN

Houston’s Latest Rapper

    

    

SUN

When it comes to turning out high quality MC’s in the rap game Houston does not have a problem. The city is world famous for its “Screw” sound and has spawned the likes of Chamillionaire, Z-Ro, the late Pimp C, Scarface, Slim Thug, Trae, Keke The Don and others. Joining that illustrious list of master wordsmiths is Houstonian rapper “SUN.” He is the latest on the scene and promises to come out scoring big. SUN’s debut project “The Cause and The Cure” is scheduled for a 2015 first quarter release and comes off the heels of a very successful mix CD that made a lot of noise on the underground rap circuit that put SUN on the map. SUN has had the opportunity to work with some of the top rap producers in the game including Havoc of Mobb Deep, Alchemist, Richie Branson and Apex which has opened the doors of collaboration with major star rappers. SUN’s single from the new project includes “Bad Girl” featuring Lil Scrappy which had been previously released with a video shot by award winning director Michael Artis that saw airlplaly on MTV Jamz and VH1. Another single “Drop Banz” will suit the clubs and offers a steamy, sensuous video. SUN is also set to appear in the upcoming movie “Candy.”

    

     His name sun is the result of a local DJ who used to call him son and because he is dark friends used to joke about him being burnt by the sun so he changed the “U” to an “O” and carries his blessed dark skin as a badge of honor. After all, the darker the skin the more active the pineal gland (third eye) and the more spiritual one is. Houston is well known for her hip hop “Screw” sound. Is that sound still happening? SUN explains “Oh yeah, screw music is real prevalent now still. With social media and a whole lot of blurred lines music doesn’t really have a specific sound. That’s why Atlanta artist sound like Houston and Houston, Atlanta, New York artists sound like down south. Everybody has a west coast sound so I think its blurred lines with it but we (Houston) still have our screw foundations and definitely our slow pace music tempo.

          What is the concept behind his new project which is the term he prefers rather than CD for “The Cause and The Cure?”  SUN runs it down, “It is a compete project of all original music that covers every emotional, every characteristic you feel throughout your life, throughout the day whether its sexual, anger, love, whatever it may be and every song has the problem and the solution to it.” Sounds like SUN is drawing from personal experience? He laughs, “Yeah definitely a lot of relationship issues, hustle issues both legal like doing a 9-5 everyday to illegal and the continuous struggle so you don’t have to struggle anymore .” He stresses that every song not only has a solution to the problem but offers a positive outlook and thinks everybody should be able to relate to that.

     This is a different concept from the usual violence and inner race name calling so how does SUN address the negative rap that promotes destruction in Black hoods? He says flatly, “It starts with parenting.  I’m a parent myself but as entertainers and being public figures including politicians or whatever, if you have some kind of weight with kids I think it is our responsibility to keep that in mind. And at the same time you have a responsibility to do your job to teach your kids at your house to understand what a lot of these artists are doing. I know a lot of them and they are just presenting their lifestyle be it ignorant or not. Entertainers get a bad name for not being better role models but the role model starts at home.

© 2014 Rych McCain Media/Syndication TM 

(You DID Hear It From Me!) 

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Cynthia Kaye McWilliams - TV

 

  (C) 2014 by Rych McCain, All Rights Reserved. No part of this column may be reprinted, re-posted or duplicated without written permission from Rych McCain Media/Syndication. Violation is subject to applicable laws.

Cynthia Kaye McWilliams _ TV

By Rych McCain International/Nationally Syndicated Entertainment Columnist

www.twitter.com/rychmccain and Facebook (Like Me)!

Cynthia Kaye McWilliams

Holding Her Own With The Real Husbands

    

Cynthia Kaye McWilliams

Being the only female cast member of a male dominated show is a daunting enough task but when the males are all comedians you really have a handful. Actress Cynthia Kaye McWilliams is not only handling her role as Trina Shaw, entertainment attorney to the stars, but she has firmly established herself on BET’s “Real Husbands of Hollywood.” The show has entered its second season full steam ahead. The Berlin, Germany born McWilliams was basically reared in Kansas City, Kansas and is a graduate from the prestigious Theater School of DePaul University in Chicago. According to McWilliams, the school was so tough that you not only had to audition to get in but you had to audition every year to stay in. After graduation McWilliams perfected her acting chops on the theater scene in Chicago and developed a vibrant voiceover career as well. Like anyone else who desires to act professionally on the big or little screens, McWilliams packed it up and moved to LA when the finished preparation and timing was right.

   

 McWilliams didn’t exactly get the best start out of the blocks. The first two pilots that she landed both were not picked up and cancelled. How did that experience help shape her resolve and determination? She laughs, “Oh wow you’re going to start off with that huh. Start off with all of the disappointments thank you.” But getting back to the question she says “Yeah, it was a little character building and a little skin thickening but I mean honestly that was not the beginning of anything for me. I’ve been doing this since I was eleven. I started writing plays and working in theater then I went to college.  We had a cut system and it was very cut throat so I’m no stranger to both competition and disappointment. Sometimes when you are competing you are not going to win but I don’t think that means that in the end you can’t win. I always have the long sight as opposed to the short sight. If anything that is definitely behooving in LA. There are a lot of short sighted people here and I think in order to really run the race you’ve got to realize that it is a marathon not a sprint.”

Kevin Hart and McWilliams

     What was her experience auditioning for the show with superstar Kevin Hart who is also one of the producers? McWilliams lights up, “I did an improvised session with Kevin and that was unbelievably surreal because at that time I had never met him and he was really just beginning to pop and be like this huge crossover performer and so I felt both humbled and excited to be in that room and by the end of it I knew it was going to work. I didn’t get the call until weeks later but I knew it a was going to happen because we had an incredible chemistry. I felt like I had known him forever and that doesn’t happen very often. He’s fantastic. I imagine anybody working with him would say the same thing but it doesn’t happen for me very often and so I knew it was something special. And he has continued to be equally as exciting and committed and giving 100% while keeping me on my toes raising me to another level every single time we work together. So take those lessons.”

    

   Being the only female on the cast will draw the attention of other actresses who will observe how she handles it thus providing a role model. She even may be considered a trailblazer for the same reason. McWilliams is humble at that notion and responds, “Thank you so much for saying I’m a trailblazer. I do not think of that at all. I’m always still in deference to many of the trailblazers before me and so many fantastic actresses that I hope to make proud one day and hope I’m making them proud now. The challenge comes from not being a comedian but being an actress and coming in saying you have a very specific job you’re playing the straight man on the show. You have a lot of funny people around you and I had to say to myself don’t go in there trying to be funny. Do what you do as an actress and you’ll be fine.”

© 2014 Rych McCain Media/Syndication TM 

(You DID Hear It From Me!) 

Twitter@rychmccain and Facebook (Like Me)!